Which rectifier configuration provides the highest average output voltage?

A full-wave rectifier provides the highest average output voltage among the configurations listed. This rectifier configuration uses both halves of the input AC waveform, which enables the extraction of power from the entire signal rather than just half of it.

In a half-wave rectifier, only one half of the AC waveform is utilized, resulting in a significantly lower average output voltage. Although the bridge rectifier, which is a type of full-wave rectifier, also utilizes both halves of the input waveform and is known for its efficiency and compactness, the full-wave rectifier generally delivers slightly higher average output voltage when using center-tapped transformers.

Thus, the full-wave rectifier maximizes the voltage output by converting both positive and negative halves of the waveform into a usable DC output, making it the best choice for applications requiring higher average output voltage.